Lecture 5_Electrical

Potential
Saira Jabeen
Work Done by a Constant Force
• The work W done a system by an 
agent exerting a constant force on F
 
the system is the product of the F r
magnitude F of the force, the 
magnitude Δr of the displacement r
of the point of application of the I II
force, and cosθ, where θ is the
angle between the force and WI  0 WII   Fr
displacement vectors:

   F
W  F  r  Fr cos  F
 
r r
III IV
WIII  Fr WIV  Fr cos 
Potential Energy, Work and Conservative Force
• Start
 
Wg  F  r  mgˆj  [( y f  yi ) ˆj ] 
mg 
r
 mgyi  mgy f yf
yi
• Then
U g  mgy  The work done by a conservative force
on a particle moving between any two
• So points is independent of the path
W g  U i  U f   U taken by the particle.

 The work done by a conservative force

U  U f  U i  Wg on a particle moving through any
closed path is zero.
Electric Potential Energy
 The potential energy of the system Uf
U  U f  U i  W
 The work done by the electrostatic Ui
force is path independent.
 Work done by a electric force or “field”
   
W  F  r  q E  r
Uf
 Work done by an Applied force

K  K f  K i  Wapp  W
Ui

Wapp  W U  U f  U i  Wapp

October 3, 2007
Work: positive or negative?
2. In the right figure, we move the proton from point i to point f in
a uniform electric field directed as shown. Which statement of
the following is true?

A. Electric field does positive work on the proton; And

Electric potential energy of the proton increases.
B. Electric field does negative work on the proton; And
f i E
Electric potential energy of the proton decreases.
C. Our force does positive work on the proton; And
Electric potential energy of the proton increases.
D. Electric field does negative work on the proton; And
Electric potential energy of the proton decreases.
E. It changes in a way that cannot be determined.
Electric Potential
 The electric potential energy
 
 Start dW  F ds
Then 

dW  q0 E  ds
 So f  
W  q 0  E  ds
i
f  
U  U f  U i  W  q0  E  ds
i

 Potential difference depends only

 The electric potential V
U on the source charge distribution
q (Consider points i and f without
Uf U i U the presence of the test charge;
V  V f  Vi   
q q q
 The difference in potential energy
U f  
V    E  ds exists only if a test charge is
q0 i
moved between the points.
Electric Potential
 Just as with potential energy, only differences in electric potential are
meaningful.
 Relative reference: choose arbitrary zero reference level for ΔU or ΔV.
 Absolute reference: start with all charge infinitely far away and set Ui = 0, then
we have U  and
W V  Wat/ qany point in an electric field, where
W is the work done by the electric field on a charged particle as that particle
moves in from infinity to point f.

 SI Unit of electric potential: Volt (V)

1 volt = 1 joule per coulomb
1 J = 1 VC and 1 J = 1 N m
 Electric field: 1 N/C = (1 N/C)(1 VC/J)(1 J/Nm) = 1 V/m
 Electric energy: 1 eV = e(1 V)
= (1.60×10-19 C)(1 J/C) = 1.60×10-19 J
Potential Difference
downhill for + q uphill for
in a Uniform Electric Field -q
 Electric field lines always point in the
direction of decreasing electric
potential.
 A system consisting of a positive
charge and an electric field loses
electric potential energy when the
charge moves in the direction of the
field (downhill).
 A system consisting of a negative f   f f
V  V f  Vi    E  ds    ( E cos 0)ds    Eds
charge and an electric field gains
i i i
f
electric potential energy when the V  V f  Vi   E  ds   Ed
i

charge moves in the direction of the U  q0 V  q0 Ed

c 
field (uphill).  c
Vc  Vi    E  ds    ( E cos 90)ds  0
i i
 Potential difference does not depend f   f f
V f  Vi    E  ds    ( E cos 45)ds   E cos 45 ds
on the path connecting them c c c
d
V f  Vi   E cos 45   Ed
sin 45
Equipotential Surface
• The name equipotential surface is given to any surface
consisting of a continuous distribution of points having
the same electric potential.

• Equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular to

electric field lines.

• No work is done by the electric field on a charged

particle while moving the particle along an equipotential
surface.
Analogy to Gravity
 The equipotential surface is like the “height”
lines on a topographic map.

 Following such a line means that you remain at

the same height, neither going up nor going
down—again, no work is done.
Work: positive or negative?
3. The right figure shows a family of equipotential surfaces associated with
the electric field due to some distribution of charges. V1=100 V, V2=80
V, V3=60 V, V4=40 V. WI, WII, WIII and WIV are the works done by the
electric field on a charged particle q as the particle moves from one
end to the other. Which statement of the following is not true?

A. WI = WII
B. WIII is not equal to zero
C. WII equals to zero
D. WIII = WIV
E. WIV is positive
Potential Due to a Point Charge
• Start with (set Vf=0 at  and Vi=V at R)
f   f 
V  V f  Vi    E  ds    ( E cos 0)ds    Edr
i i R

• We have
1q 1 q
E
E 4 0 r 2
4 0 r 2

• Then 
q 1  q 1  1 q
4 0 R r 2
0 V   dr  r   
4 0  R 4 0 R

• So 1 q
V (r ) 
4 0 r

• A positively charged particle produces a positive electric

potential.
• A negatively charged particle produces a negative electric
potential
Potential due to
a group of point charges
• Use superposition
  n r   n
V    E  ds    Ei  ds  Vi
r

 
i 1 i 1

• For point charges

n n
1 qi
V   Vi  
i 1 4 0 i 1 ri

• The sum is an algebraic sum, not a vector sum.

q q
• E may be zero where V does not equal to zero.
• V may be zero where E does not equal to zero. q -q
Potential due to a Continuous
Charge Distribution
 Find an expression for dq:
 dq = λdl for a line distribution
 dq = σdA for a surface distribution
 dq = ρdV for a volume distribution

 Represent field contributions at P due to point

charges dq located in the distribution.
1 dq
dV 
4 0 r
 Integrate the contributions over the whole
distribution, varying the displacement as needed,

1 dq
V   dV 
4 0  r
Example: Potential Due to
a Charged Rod
 A rod of length L located along the x axis has a uniform linear charge
density λ. Find the electric potential at a point P located on the y axis a
distance d from the origin.

 Start with dq  dx

1 dq 1 dx
dV  
4 0 r 4 0 ( x 2  d 2 )1/ 2

 then,  
 ) 0
L
V   dV  
4 ( x 2

dx
d 2 1/ 2
)

4
ln x  ( x 2
 d 2 1/ 2 L

0 0 0



4 0
ln L  ( L2  d 2 )1/ 2  ln d 
 So

  L  ( L2  d 2 )1/ 2 
V ln  
4 0  d 
Potential Due to
a Charged Isolated Conductor
 According to Gauss’ law, the charge resides on the
conductor’s outer surface.
 Furthermore, the electric field just outside the
conductor is perpendicular to the surface and field
inside is zero.
 Since
B  
VB  V A    E  d s  0
A

 Every point on the surface of a charged conductor

in equilibrium is at the same electric potential.
 Furthermore, the electric potential is constant
everywhere inside the conductor and equal to its
value to its value at the surface.
Calculating the Field from the Potential
 Suppose that a positive test charge q0 moves through a displacement ds
from on equipotential surface to the adjacent surface.
 The work done by the electric field on the test charge is W = -dU = -q0 dV.
 
 The work done by the electric field may also be written as W  q 0 E  ds
Then, we have dV

 q0 dV  q0 E (cos  )ds E cos   
ds
 So, the component of E in any direction is the negative
V
of the rate at which the electric potential changes with Es  
distance in that direction. s

 If we know V(x, y, z),

V V V
Ex   Ey   Ez  
x y z
Electric Potential Energy
of a System of Point Charges
   
U  U f  U i  W W  F  r  q E  r q2

Wapp  W U  U f  U i  Wapp

• Start with (set Ui=0 at  and Uf=U at r)

q1
1 q1
V
4 0 r

• We have 1q1q2
U  q2V 
4 0 r

• If the system consists of more than two charged particles,

calculate U for each pair of charges and sum the terms
algebraically.
1 q1q2 q1q3 q2 q3
U  U12  U13  U 23  (   )
4 0 r12 r13 r23
Summary
• Electric Potential Energy: a point charge moves from i to f in an
electric field, the change in electric potential energy is U  U f  U i  W
• Electric Potential Difference between two points i and f in an
electric field: V  V f  Vi 
Uf

U i U

q q q
• Equipotential surface: the points on it all have the same electric
potential. No work is done while moving charge on it. The
electric field is always directed perpendicularly to corresponding
equipotential surfaces. 1 q
V (r ) 
• Finding V from E: U f   4 0 r
V     E  ds
• Potential due to point charges: q0 i n
1 n
qi
V   Vi  r
• Potential due to a collection of point charges: i 1 4 0 i 1 i

• Potential due to a continuous charge distribution: 1 dq

V   dV 
• Potential of a charged conductor is constant everywhere inside 4 0  r
the conductor and equal to its value to its value at the surface.
V V V V
E  E  E  Ez   1 q1q2
• Calculatiing E from V: s
s
x
x
y
y z U  q2V 
4 0 r
• Electric potential energy of system of point charges:
Move to Electrostatics